SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Southern Conference named the volleyball players of the week for the matches played the week of August 30 to September 5. Samford's Hillary Fountain was named Offensive Player of the Week, while Appalachian State's Alison Blasingame earned the Defensive Player of the Week award. The Freshman of the Week went to Furman's Sarah McCarthy. The players of the week are voted on by the league office.
A senior setter, Fountain averaged 8.77 assists per set in the Bulldog Invitational last weekend. She posted her first double-double of the season against Tennessee Tech with 33 assists and 15 kills. Fountain also recorded 33 assists against Syracuse. A Holland, Ohio native, Fountain helped lead the Bulldogs to a 3-2 record the past week with wins over Troy, Northwestern State and Tennessee Tech.
Alison Blasingame, a junior middle blocker from Yorktown, Va., took league honors for her defensive effort in the Appalachian Invitational in Boone, N.C. Blasingame totaled a team-high 25 blocks, including five solo, in four matches the past week. In the midweek victory over East Tennessee State, Blasingame had two solo blocks along with seven block assists. In the weekend tournament, she recorded at least three block assists in every match, helping the Mountaineers defeat Eastern Kentucky and USC Upstate.
The SoCon's Freshman of the Week award went to Sarah McCarthy of Furman. The setter from Villa Park, Ill., leads the Paladins this season with 133 assists. McCarthy led Furman in assists with 15 against Alabama and 19 versus Toledo. In the Paladins victory over UAB, she had a team-high 26 digs.
Also nominated for Offensive Player of the Week were Appalachian State's Kelly Rhein, College of Charleston's Whitney Russell, The Citadel's Tatum Jestila, Davidson's Sarabeth Peele, Elon's Caroline Lemke, Furman's Kelly Kirby, Georgia Southern's Bethany Sanford, Chattanooga's Courtney Barnes, Western Carolina's Paloma Alvarez and Wofford's Catelyn Amende.
Nominated for Defensive Player of the Week were College of Charleston's Elyse Chubb, The Citadel's Jessica Maxwell, Davidson's Madison Bendict, Elon's Ali Deatsch, Furman's Elle Ross, Samford's Lauren Hutchinson, Chattanooga's Paula Passmore, Western Carolina's Carrie Minogue and Wofford's Reagan Styles.
Nominated for Freshmen of the Week were College of Charleston's Madelyn McGinnis, The Citadel's Erin Bucherl, Davidson's Caroline Brown, Samford's Taylor Palmer, Chattanooga's Jennifer Kuroski, Western Carolina's Kelcie Randazzo and Wofford's Amanda Liguori.
2010 Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week
Week 1 - Whitney Russell, College of Charleston
Week 2 - Hillary Fountain, Samford
2010 Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week
Week 1 - Kayren Finney, UNCG
Week 2 - Alison Blasingame, Appalachian State
2010 Volleyball Freshmen of the Week
Week 1 - Katie Murphy, Samford
Week 2 - Sarah McCarthy, Furman